I would like to thank Dragon USA for these review samples that are available directly from Dragon USA:www.dragonmodelsusa.com

Akagi must have been an overwhelming vessel when viewed up close. The sheer mass of exposed girder construction, with a multitude of cantilevered platforms made Akagi resemble an industrial steel plant rather than a warship! After all it was the era of hot rivet construction. It is as if railroad civil engineers of the era, famous for their massive girder and truss bridges, had conspired to build her. Her dark gray paint would have made her appearance that much more sinister and foreboding. The tiny port-side island (the only class of CV ever to have such an attribute) and angle stack only reinforced this image. In many ways she resembled USS Langley on a far more massive scale.

Hasegawa's 1/350 Akagi is a superb plastic kit right out of the box. This fit is amazingly tight and the detail far better than most ship models. Still with a ship model of this size, there are areas that beg for more detail. Like most kits, the model needs the usual ship details like railings. Other components like ladders and flight deck safety nets should be replaced as a matter of course. Then there is the detail that more advanced modelers will demand, like all of the girders that were a characteristic of this ship and a wood flight deck. No doubt in response to the continuing demand by ship modelers for after market products, Hasegawa has gotten into the aftermarket game. In the case of the Akagi, Hasegawa has made a significant investment, offering six different aftermarket sets for Akagi. These sets include photo-etch details, but also white metal castings, a real wood flight deck and a name plate. By splitting up the details into smaller sets, Hasegawa has unfortunately confused the consumer and introduced uncertainty as to which sets are required to detail what. I hope in this review that I can clarify the offerings.

What is a little disappointing about this set is that Hasegawa has you add railings to the kits plastic railings. In several instances you put the handrails on the molded Aztec temple steps. This is a let down, as the standard in the aftermarket industry is to replace the molded steps with PE. For the cost of this set, I expected replacement ladders.

In one fret, set B provides a lot of detail that across the entire ship, with a focus on the flight deck and the island. These include:
· The overhead gantry track under the stern overhang of the flight deck
· Flight deck safety nets (note: some are the nets were not fitted until after the Pearl Harbor attack)
· Flight deck palisades (windbreaks)
· Flight deck barricades
· Brace supports for the funnel
· Mushroom ventilators for both the port and starboard sides
· Mast details
· Island details including open bridge windows
· Deck edge antennas/antenna detail
· Armored hatches for the in-flight deck search lights
· DF Loops
· Small flight deck mast
· Stern light crucifix
· Miscellaneous braces
· Two armored hatches that have no locating information but in Hasegawa photos are located on the lowest most exterior decks amidships

The deck edge antennas look flat and you may want to forgo the etched parts and use wire or plastic rod. The gantry assembly looks complex to assemble.

Some of the details, like the arresting wire, are too two dimensional and better replaced with wire. The boat cradles templates are a very nice touch

IJN Aircraft Carrier Akagi Carrier Detail Up Super (40071)

This is the big daddy of the detail sets. It is large and consists of three frets of PE, white metal details for the island and a replacement nameplate in Japanese. Hasegawa introduced a lot of confusion with this set by lettering the frets A, B and C. Some modelers mistook this lettering scheme to mean that this set consists of Basic Etching Parts A, B and C. That is not the case, this being a separate set and fundamentally different from the others. It really is intended as an advanced detail set, as it provides the girders to replace the entire visible flight deck support structure. Included are not only the underside truss assemblies, but also the box beam support columns. While Hasegawa provides replacement lattice columns amidships on the port side, it curiously omitted replacement for the columns molded as part of parts Q14 or Q23.

The truss assemblies and columns are complex buildups and experience working with photoetch is a must. The underside girders interlock and glue right to the underside of the flight deck prior to its attachment; the only preparation required is the removal of the molded detail. This seems the most logical method to allow for ease of assembly and painting, but it will require constant fit checks with the flight deck. If you were to attach the flight deck before adding the girders, there would be less room to work and it would be hard to paint. To aid the modeler Hasegawa provides not only an instruction sheet, but photos of the completed assemblies. However, as if to further sew confusion one of the pictures includes the overhead gantry rails provided in Basic Set B, with the disclaimer that they are not included. Perhaps it was intended as a teaser to buy the other set…Once the underside of the flight deck is done, modelers will want to minimize the handling of the girders. I recommend pre-painting the interior of the box-beam supports with the hull gray before folding to eliminate bare brass from being visible.

The white metal details are the splinter mats for the island. During the war, these were rolled hammocks and they are quite visible in available pictures. The castings replicate these shapes nicely and they are cast to conform to designated sections of the island. I recommend priming and painting before installation. Given the prominence of this detail it is a shame that Hasegawa did not include them as a bonus in the kit box or provide them in the basic set B with the island details.

The name tag is a nice touch. Hasegawa states that it is the ship's name. I have to take their word since I do not read Japanese.

Given the industrial appearance of Akagi, the detail in this super set really goes a long way to convey that appearance that cannot be done in molded plastic. I just wish Hasegawa had been more thorough in providing all of the required detail

Wooden Deck for Aircraft Carrier Akagi (QG25)

Of the six detail sets, this one is the most surprising and innovative. Hasegawa has delivered a wooden flight deck for Akagi without having to replace plastic underneath! The planking on the deck is accomplished by a thin veneer divided into 7 sections, which works since the divisions are at the expansion joints on the deck. The veneer is no thicker than an index card including the plastic backing - just peel and stick. A test fit revealed that the deck is a perfect fit to each section with cutouts for raised detail. There is no visible large scale wood grain and the plank detail is laser etched. The result is a bright looking bleached deck with results that will be hard to replicate with paint. To complement the deck, Hasegawa provides replacement deck details out of etched brass, which compensate for the slight rise of the deck. These include the elevator platforms (with tie downs) and the attachment points for the arresting wires and barricades.

Because the deck is wood and will warp with moisture the kit decals for the flight deck markings cannot be used. To compensate for this, Hasegawa provides markings that are dry transfers, including the Hinamaru painted on the flight deck prior to Midway. I recommend a burnishing tool for dry transfers that you can find at your hobby shop or craft store.

General Jackstay (QG29)

While Hasegawa bundles this with its dedicated Akagi sets, it really can be used on any IJN warship. The name is confusing however and a bit of explanation will help clarify matters. In English a Jackstay is a brace or supporting guy wire, but in older usage it was line or a rod on the upper part of a yardarm used as a handhold (as the sailor stood on the footrope). This latter usage is the meaning intended by the Hasegawa set. This set provides replacement handholds for the ones molded on the ship. On an IJN warship they are everywhere and seemingly proliferate on Akagi; the funnel is covered with them, as are many parts of the hull. Hasegawa provides several styles and the rails include a base plate that folds over to ensure a good mating surface. To use them the modeler will need to gently remove the molded detail and replace them with the PE, being careful to keep the metal straight during application. If you intend to go this route, I recommend that you have the ship mounted to its base, as it will be hard to subsequently handle the model with out damaging the jackstays. This is a very advanced level of detail for many modelers.

Overall these detail sets add a wealth of detail that can make your Akagi a real museum piece. I have to admit that I am baffled by the parts break down in each set. If I were CEO of Hasegawa for a day I would have chosen a different course by grouping like details in the same set. So the Super set would pick up the overhead gantry crane tracks and all of the flight deck details would be in one set. I guess that I am used to one stop shopping sets. Modelers I know that have used other Hasegawa details sets have been pleased with the workability and results

The elephant in the room is the price of the sets. In total they add up to real money. Add the price of the kit and you have spent a fair chunk of your annual hobby budget. The question is how much quality time will you derive from the expense (it is a hobby after all)? Akagi is one of the large models that some modelers will like to jump on and finish in a week. If "done, next" is your thing, then the details will slow your ability to quickly cross the finish line. If you believe that kits of this magnitude and detail should be savored and approached as a craftsman, than the details are a worthwhile investment. If you divide the cost of the kit and the details (assuming you go all the way), you get more pleasure for your dollar. Of all the sets, the flight deck decking will give the most "bang for the buck" in terms of eye catching effects (plus the time saved painting). If you are up to the challenge the Super Set will provide the wow factor! The truly possessed modeler will tackle the Jackstay challenge.

This is my first IJN model. Though it is not a subject that normally holds much fascination for me, the Akagi has me excited, as do these details sets! Look for the completed model in a future issue of the IPMS Journal (after Nationals 2009).